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Schedule for those with older children...

hunt2005hunt2005 member
in Preemies

So how in the world did you manage to spend a lot of time at the NICU if you have an older child (but not school age), a husband who works, and you're a SAHM??

We've been trying to think this through lately - either put our son in daycare for a few hours each day so I can go in during the day for a few, and then take shifts in the evenings visiting the babies, or get friends to watch him or something... In the beginning as much as I want to spend time it'll be a little easier since they probably wont be able to BF yet, but once they can I wan to BF as many feedings as possible and I'm just not sure what to do! My DS1 is 3 years old, so it's not like he can come with me, or stay by himself, and our NICU is an hour away from home, so I can't just leave him with a neighbor for a short time - it's either several hours or none. 

Any suggestions from those who have BTDT?

~*~ Nikki ~*~ DS born 2/18/08! TTC #2 since 01/2009 11/01 Round #5 Clomid 100 mg, IUI 11/14, at 10dpiui 11/26 Beta:12dpiui 114 11/29 Beta:15dpiui 755 1/9/10 First U/S: TRIPLETS! 6/20/11 And then there were six... http://andbabiesmakesix.wordpress.com/ Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
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Re: Schedule for those with older children...

  • nypdrwjnypdrwj member
    At the time my son was 11 mos and we had various relatives come to the house. I would go twice a day for the noon and 630 feeding and constantly pump the other times. I wanted to go more but didn't want to upset ds1 routine too much. Would family members stay with you? Or ask the hospital what other families do who live a distance and have young kids. Gl to you
    Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Second Birthday tickers Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Premature Baby tickers
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  • ShannonSkyShannonSky member
    LO2 isn't here yet, but we'd have my MIL come stay with us if we needed to do another NICU stay. With triplets, though, you're going to need some help at home, too...can you start compiling a list of people who have mentioned being willing to help out? That's what I'm doing for the interim time between labor starting and my in-laws being able to come down (it's about a 7hr drive for them) - I have a list of people with phone numbers and work days/times who have said they could watch DD1 when we go to the hospital.
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  • MrsGoodyMrsGoody member

    I was (and still am) in the same position as you are.  I have 2 older children - a 5 year old and a 3 year old.  We were lucky in that my in-laws came to stay with us a week before LO was born because I was put on hospital bedrest, and then they stayed for five more weeks while LO was in the NICU to help out with the kids so I could go to the hospital easily.  Their plan was to stay until LO was released, but she's had complications with reflux and is still in the NICU.  They had to leave two weeks ago because they were closing on a new house in another state. 

    So, in the two weeks since then, I've been kind of in your position - I've had to have my parents come watch them (they're local but it's hard for them to keep up with my kids for an entire day), friends have stepped up to help, and a couple of times we just got a babysitter, but that was expensive. 

    It's been hard, because like you mentioned it was easier to just go for a couple hours at a time when they were younger and all you could do was sit by their bedside (and pump).  Now that LO is older and taking full feeds, I've been wanting to practice breastfeeding (which she's doing really well at).  Our hospital is an hour away too and it's easily a five hour round trip if I just stay for one feeding.  All of my friends have little kids too and I feel bad asking them to watch the kids for more than a couple of hours.

    It's possible that LO could be in the NICU for another week, and if so, my MIL might fly back up here to help out.   Good luck, I know having to worry about another child makes it that much more stressful. 

    Ellie, mommy to Kate (4.20.06), Andrew (3.18.08) & Natalie (4.19.11), born at 34w1d Lilypie Premature Baby tickers
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